Other Topics

Software MacKiev to Release New Syncing Technology in Family Tree Maker 2017 — But Not in Older Versions

26 Mar 2017 by Keith Riggle 42 Comments

If you’ve been following the news about Family Tree Maker, you’ll know that a brand new version, Family Tree Maker 2017 for both Mac and Windows, is set to be released on 31 March 2017. This new version will include the replacement to TreeSync, called FamilySync. What you may not know is that TreeSync will stop working on 29 March 2017; however, all prior editions and versions of FTM will not receive updates including the new FamilySync technology. Melanie Mayo, Family History Daily Editor, has posted a good write-up explaining the implications. [Read more…] about Software MacKiev to Release New Syncing Technology in Family Tree Maker 2017 — But Not in Older Versions

Why All Genealogy Apps Should Support GEDCOM 5.5.1 (Updated 12 Dec 2021)

20 Apr 2016 by Keith Riggle 8 Comments

Standards, schmandards, who cares about standards? (Credit: 7 Roman Standards, Wenceslaus Hollar [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

Readers who have been following this series will know that I believe genealogy apps should support GEDCOM 5.5.1. There are two versions of GEDCOM (GEnealogical Data Communication) reported in GEDCOM files by most genealogy software today: versions 5.5 and 5.5.1. The last “official” version dated 1996 from the Family History Department (today known as FamilySearch) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was [Read more…]

Family Historian Adds Automatic Record Matching and ‘Hints’ for Findmypast Databases

3 Apr 2016 by Keith Riggle 2 Comments

Tree hints, made famous by the shaky leaves at Ancestry.com, are a feature of genealogy websites and databases that is growing in popularity. In addition to Ancestry, Family Tree Maker has them, as do FamilySearch, RootsMagic, MyHeritage, Geni, and several others. The Family Historian 6 app was previously able to automatically match to records at MyHeritage; now it can do the same with Findmypast. The following is a news release from Calico Pie about this new capability. Also, don’t forget to check out my review of Family Historian 6, if you haven’t already. [Read more…] about Family Historian Adds Automatic Record Matching and ‘Hints’ for Findmypast Databases